Tom Davis, adjunct professor at Monmouth University for the Communication Department, released a book regarding his family’s long time battles with mental illnesses. The book titled: “A Legacy of Madness: Recovering My Family from Generations of Mental Illness” was released by Hazelden Publishing & Educational Services on Monday, October 3rd.
The book details the family’s journey trying to understand his mother, Dorothy Winans Davis’ actions and way of life. For as long as Davis can remember, his mother has struggled all her life, battling the mental illnesses that consumed her life. Her children were not able to kiss her face, due to her extreme fear of germs, she constantly repeated herself multiple times for fear that she was not heard, she bought excessive amounts of clothes that were never worn, and she would duct taped her favorite cake.
Dorothy was in and out of hospitals where she was always released early. She was prescribed medication, but it would only work when it was taken. Dorothy was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, but due to increasing costs, her stay was not long lived. Getting help for a family member who is mentally ill is extremely costly. Individuals who are mentally ill require constant care and supervision.
Living with Dorothy not only put a strain on Davis, but his father, Stan and brother as well. Stan would become agitated with his wife’s actions and would take it out on the children. Both sons battled bulimia, as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety. Stan deeply regrets hitting his two sons, but at the time was taking his aggression out on the boys. In an effort to obtain closure, Stan is encouraging his son to write the truth about what happened.
While alcoholism, depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder have plagued Davis’ family for years, it does not have to shape his life and his children’s. Davis is taking preventive measures to ensure that his family’s life is as normal as possible. While confronting your family’s history is not always easy, the book will provide insight to others experiencing the same struggle with a family member or friend. The book can be found at local retailers and Amazon.com
